Barnstable County Commissioners
Summary Report
Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Alternatives Analysis
April 7, 2010
Outline for Today’s Presentation

Provide overview of study prepared for
Barnstable County Solid Waste Advisory
Committee (SWAC) of long-term alternatives
for disposal of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)

Background

Review of proposed SEMASS Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU)

Evaluation of future alternatives

Regional options

Conclusions and recommendations
Solid Waste Stream Evaluated
Study focused on the portion of
solid waste collected by towns
through their transfer stations
and town-operated curbside
collection programs and sent
out-of-town for disposal.
Future study proposed for
evaluation of recyclable portion
of municipal solid waste
stream.
Massachusetts Solid Waste Management
 Solid
Waste Disposal (2006)
6.6 million tons combusted or landfilled
 1.4 million tons disposed of out of state
 MassDEP estimates 2.5 to 4.1 million tons will be
exported by 2014

21%
32%
46%
In-State Landfill
In-State Combustion
Exported Waste
Source: MassDEP, November 2008
Background - Cape Municipal Solid
Waste Disposal

Fourteen Cape towns currently have longterm disposal agreements with SEMASS
waste-to-energy plant in Rochester, MA

Current disposal tipping fees well below
market ($18 to $37 per ton)

Approximately 164,000 tons of MSW per year

Existing disposal contracts end around 2015

Bourne landfills their MSW
At current below-market disposal tip fees, the 14
Cape communities pay a total of over $6 million per
year for disposal of their solid waste at SEMASS
Current Hauling Methods to SEMASS
SEMASS Facility
Upper Cape Regional
Transfer Station
Yarmouth Barnstable
Regional Transfer Station
Breakdown of Tonnages Currently
Hauled to SEMASS by Cape
Communities
36,519
TPY
50,719
Upper Cape Regional TS
TPY
Yarmouth-Barnstable TS
Direct Haul from Local TS
76,500
TPY
Proposed SEMASS MOU




Negotiated over past 2 ½ years by Steering
Committee selected from Council of SEMASS
Communities
Extends term of existing Waste Acquisition
Agreements (WAA) by 15 Years (until 2030)
Offered to 14 Cape Communities in 2009
Increases current below market disposal tipping
fee by $40 or $45 per ton over last 5 years of
existing term
Impact of Proposed MOU on NearTerm Per Ton Disposal Costs
Chart Title
Per Ton Dispsoal Tip
Fee
$80
$70
Per Ton Dispsoal Tip Fee
$60
$50
$40
SEMASS MOU
$30
Current Agreement
Yea
r
$20
$10
$2010
2011
2012
Year
2013
2014
2015
Comparison of MOU at $90/ton 2015
Market
$160
$140
Extension
Starts
ROI
Per Ton Tip Fee
$120
$100
$80
$60
$40
$20
$0
SEMASS MOU
No MOU - $90 Market
ROI - Requires approximately 11 years to reclaim
present value of upfront payment
Results of present value analysis on
payback of MOU upfront payments
Communities
Years to Payback Proposed MOU
Upfront Payments
$80/ton
$90/ton
$100/ton
Market
Market
Market
13 Cape Communities
currently paying $37/ton
15 yrs
11 yrs
4 yrs
Wellfleet – currently
paying $18/ton
6 yrs
4 yrs
3 yrs
CDM Comparison of MOU Tip Fees to
Anticipated Market


Return on “up front” investment depends on tip
fees being significantly below market rates
With exception of Wellfleet, projected 2015 tip
fees do not appear to be below market rate

$80- $90/ton range of projected 2015 tip fee

$74-$78/ton projected as market rate based on
similar recently signed WTE agreements

Bourne quoting $71/ton for municipal contracts –
low to mid $80/ton in 2015 with CPI
Future Alternative MSW Disposal Facilities



SEMASS Waste-to-Energy Facility
Bourne Landfill
Rochester Environmental Park Transfer Station





Disposal at Southbridge MA Landfill or MERC
Waste-to-Energy Facility, Biddeford, ME
Out-of-State through rail transfer stations
Crapo Hill Landfill, New Bedford – 20,000 TPY
Middleborough Landfill – limited tonnage
Future Technologies?
Potential Future Alternatives
Comparative Evaluation Criteria - Cost
Local Residential Collection
Local Transfer Station
Curbside Collection
Same for all options evaluated
Total Costs
for MSW
Disposal
Hauling from Towns to Disposal Facilities
Regional Transfer Stations
Rail or Truck
Direct Haul
Tipping Fee at Disposal Facility
Summary of Relative Transportation
Costs for Cape Communities (2015)
$30
$25
Haul Cost Per Ton (2015)
$24
$20
$23
$20
$18
$17
$15
$16
SEMASS
$15
$15
Bourne LF
REP TS
$10
$8
$5
$-
Yarm-Barn TS
Upper Cape TS
Cape Direct Haul
Total MSW Disposal Cost Summary


Transportation Costs

Bourne least expensive for Cape communities

SEMASS rail haul less expensive than REP truck
haul for two Cape regional transfer station

Differences in hauling cost differential can be
offset by lower tipping fees for all alternatives
Tipping Fees

Only firm proposal is SEMASS MOU

Will require RFP or negotiations process to
determine firm pricing
Other Comparative Evaluation Criteria
Environmental Impacts
and Benefits
 Truck traffic around
and over Canal
bridges
 Total Greenhouse Gas
Emissions
 Energy Generation
Average Weekly Round Truck Trips
160
140
Average Truck Trips Per Week
136
136
136
120
100
SEMASS
80
Bourne LF
REP TS
60
40
49
49
20
0
-
Round Trips to Canal
Round Trips Over Bridge
113,019 TPY Currently Hauled by Rail
Greenhouse Gas Generation Comparison
Total
greenhouse
gas
emissions
Total
emissions to
transport
MSW
Total
emissions
from
disposal site
Truck
or
Rail
Landfill
or
Waste-to-energy
Avoided
emissions
for electricity
generation
All components calculated as metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents
Total estimated GHG emissions for
each alternative


Emissions from hauling

Rail less than truck

Based on mileage MSW is hauled
Disposal Alternatives

Landfill generates methane – typically flared

Waste-to-energy generates carbon dioxide

Credit for avoided emissions from energy
generation

Regulatory agencies accounting of GHG versus
total emissions
Energy Generation – Landfill and WTE
Alternative Disposal Method
Electricity
Generated Per
Ton MSW
Waste-to-Energy Facility
550 kwh/ton
Landfill with active gas collection and electricity generation
256 kwh/ton
Note that the Bourne and Southbridge Landfills do not currently have
landfill gas to energy facilities
Regional Options

Example – Greater New Bedford Refuse District

New Bedford and Dartmouth regional landfill since
1993

Operated by appointed Board

Estimated total operating cost for disposal - $40 per
ton

Subsidizes costs with commercial waste at higher
tipping fees

Limit debt and maintain cash reserves
All or a group of the towns have an ability to implement
a similar regional district using the Bourne landfill site.
Regional Options

Example – Communities utilizing the Millbury
waste-to-energy facility (Worcester area)

Communities joined together to negotiate a new
long-term agreement with plant operator

Collectively retained legal and technical
professionals to negotiate new agreement

Improved contractual conditions
– Price escalation
– Change-in-law
Towns can utilize a regional RFP to minimize costs and
potentially negotiate better conditions and prices.
Conclusions and Recommendations


All communities paying approximately $37 per ton
should not sign the SEMASS MOU
Prepare RFP for disposal of MSW when current
SEMASS agreements expire

Evaluate alternative methods for transportation –
regional rail transfer stations

Review individual communities collection and
transportation practices

Confirm guaranteed annual tonnages

Establish typical contractual terms
– Change in Law
– Price Escalation
Conclusions and Recommendations

In the near future, conduct
initial discussions with
Bourne to determine
viability of regional district

Review other potential
models for combining
efforts and districts

Evaluate interest for
District

Consider other waste
disposal and recycling
potential uses of Bourne
Site
Conclusions and Recommendations

Evaluate recycling programs and impact on
tonnages and costs



Future Commission report
Evaluate emerging technologies

Composting

Incorporating wastewater residuals
Monitor MassDEP solid waste planning efforts

Incinerator moratorium

Greenhouse gas and emissions limitations
Questions